Coin-freed boot-brushing machine.



No. 650,723.- Patented May 29, I900. A. MARTIN. COIN FBEED BOOT BRUSHING MACHINE.

(Appliation filed July 18, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

Patented May 29, I900. A MARTIN. COIN FREED BOOT B RUSHING MACHINE.

(Application filed July 18, 1899.] (No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

m: Nana's PErEns 20.. PHom-Lrmo.v WASHINGYON. o. c.

No. 650,723. Patented May 29. I900. A. MARTIN.

COIN FREED BOUT BRUSH ING MACHINE.

(Application filed July 18, 1899.)

(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 (No Model.)

' Patented May 29, I900. A. MARTIN.

COIN FREED BOOT BRUSHING MACHINE.

(Application med July 18, 1899.1

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

UN TE; S:

PAT :O

ALBERT MARTIN, or PARIS, FRANCE.

COIN-FREED eoor-eRusi-ime MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,723, dated May 29, 1900.

Application filed July 18, 1899. Serial No. 724,280. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT MARTIN, a citizen of the French Republic, residing at Paris, France, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Coin-Freed Boot- Brushing Machinery, (for which I have made application for Letters Patent in Great Britain under No. 13,438, bearing date June 28, 1899,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in the combination of a mechanical boot brushing apparatus with an automatic device for starting the brushes,- controlled by a coin-freed disengaging mechanism, the whole forming a new automatic machine.

The functions of the brushes of the brush-' ing device are, first, to brush ofi the dirt; secondly, to apply blacking to the boot, and, thirdly, to put a polish on the boot.

The functions of the coin-freed disengaging mechanism are to start the brushes and to distribute the blacking on the introduction of a coin into the apparatus and to stop the brushes after a suitable time.

The cleaning and polishing of the boots of any one desiring to have his boots blacked may be done at any time without the necessity of taking them off.

The following description clearly sets forth the operation and the method of using my invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my machine, the casing being removed. Fig. 1 shows the connection between the mechanism and the index. Fig. 2 is a part-sectional plan on the line 12 of Fig. 1. This figure shows on the left a part of the casing covering the brushing apparatus. This casing is specially arranged so as to permit the foot to be introduced below or above the brush. Fig. 3 is a crosssection on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. at is a view, on an enlarged scale, of the coin-receiving and switch-operating parts. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the same, showing a coin in position. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the same, showing the action of the coin in raising the switch-locking detent. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the pawl-and-ratchetwheel mechanism for operating the blackingbox and the other connected mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the blacking box and its operating devices. Fig.9 is an opposite side elevation showing the cam for actuating the plunger which forces out the blacking.

In order to use my automatic blackingmachine, it is sufficient to put a coin of the predetermined kind into the opening a, which iswithin easy reach of the public. This coin slides down an appropriate chute and is stopped in its course by a hook which terminates the upper part of the oscillating 1ever b. After the introduction of the coin the operator turns in the direction of the arrow the handle 0, fixed on the switch-bar d, which on turning enters on either side into the forks e, each in connection with a diiferent pole of a source of electricity. The circuit is thus closed, and the motor f, arranged in the pedestal of the machine, starts. The boot-blacking machine will remain in action duringthe whole time of the complete opertion, the switch-bar d being held in its contacts 6 6 against the reaction of a springM by means of the sliding piece g, held in place during the operation by the stop-notch h and the spur or bolt 2'. This spur is mounted on a spring I at the upper end of a vertically-suspended stem j. The switch-bar d carries on its lower part a small pin, on which a lever k, ending in a hollow nose, is pivoted. This lever when there is not a coin in the disengaging device abuts against a shoulder Z of the plate, against which the sliding piece g slides, and the machine is prevented from working, the starting-handle being locked. The coin which has been introduced at the opening a falls down and rests behind the sliding piece projecting a little beyond the shoulderl and in the hollow in the inclined plane of the nose of the lever 70. Then while turning the handle 0 the bar (Z pushes the sliding piece g toward the left. The inclined plane at the end of the lever it causes this latter piece to pass above the coin, as shown in Fig. 6, and the sliding piece can thus be pushed to the end of its travel, allowing the hand-switch d to make contact and energize the motor, which will work immediately. The electric current being established in the manner described above, the motor f drives the gear-wheels 1 2 3. The brushes 'm n 0 are mounted side by side on the same axle. On the left side this axle carries the gear-wheel 3 and at its right end it carries a cam 19. The brush on is for the preliminary cleaning of the boot, the brush a is for applying the blacking, and the brush 0 is for polishing. The time occupied by the operation is divided into three equal parts corresponding to these three operations, and an indicating-dial informs the person using the machine as to the time to change the foot to another brush. Upon the cam 19 rests a lever q,formed with a detent at its end, which acts as a feedpawl to the ratchet-wheel r, whichdetermines the periods of the operation, and finally the stopping of the machine, as hereinafter described. The other extremity of the axle carrying the ratchet-wheel r carries a bevel-pinion 4, engaging with a bevel-wheel 5, whose vertical axle s carries at a determined height a bevel-pinion t, gearing with a bevel-wheel to. On each of its two faces this wheel u earries two pins o and w. The first one, v, on the front side controls .the distribution of the blacking. The second one, to, on the back determines the falling of the coin and shortly afterward the stopping of the apparatus. The position of these pins is calculated according to the timing of the operation. The blackingmachine being set in mot-ion, the cleaning operation takes place. The wheel it continues its rotary motion regularly under the impulse of the ratchet-wheel r, and the pawlfeed g from the cam 19 or by any other mechanical combination serving the same end in connection with the axle of the brushes. At a determined moment the pin v lifts the finger x, which lifts a metal bar or, acting on the lever 3 Fig. 2, causing two elbows z, of which the ends engage in the base of A and which are on the same axis as 3/, to rock, thus effecting the advance of the blaeking-receptaele A against the brush n. This receptacle consists of a cylindrical box made of metal or of any other suitable material sliding horizontally by means of two lateral ears on supports. These are the cars 13, which are under the control of the actuating elbow-levers .2 in order to bring up and take away the blackingbox. In front of the receptacle Aand in communica-tion with the interior is a small open trough whose form fits that of the troughshaped brush n. The trough 0, always filled with blacking, is fed in the manner about to be described, and a series of rolls D, mounted on'a fixed stem, dips continually in the blacking of the curved feeding-trough O. The rolls are of wood covered with felt; but they may be made differently. The feeding of the blacking takes place in the following manner: At the back of the receptacle A is a ratchetwheel E, with several teeth conveniently spaced. In the path in front one of the teeth of the ratchet-wheel engages 011 a small helical incline F,which compels the ratchet-wheel to turn, and consequently the interior screw G also, on which the ratchet-wheel is fixed outside the receptacle. This screw G serves as a piston-rod for the piston II, which urges the supply of blacking toward the trough in which are the rolls D, which are thus charged with blacking which is taken from them by the contact of the brush 01 during the whole time of the feeding of the blacking, which ends on the retreat of the receptacle A back by the descent of the lever ."c, which is produced as soon as the pin -v has passed the lever during the movement of the wheel u. lhelattercontinuing to turn,the pinw,plac ed on the back face of the rim, abuts at a given moment against the lower extremity of the lever b, causing it to swing, and the coin upheld until then by the upper end of this same lever will be liberated and will fall through the chute J into the box I. ways continuing to revolve, the same pin 20 will engage with the branch arm K of a counterbalanced elbow-lever L in such a way as to raise the upper elbowed extremity of the said lever and then to become disengaged from it the next instant. This bent end will then under the influence of the counterweight strike sharply into a groove in the vertical stem supporting at its upper end the bolt 2', which has been up to the present holding the sliding piece (1 in the inward position, maintaining the closure of the switch-arm d against the spring reaction M. The shock causes the bolt to become disengaged, and under the influence of the spring M the switch-bar d is disengaged from the contacts 2 and returns to its initial position, the circuit is broken, the motor stops, and the lever comes to rest behind the shoulder Z in the locked position of the apparatus, which will only be able to begin to work again after the introduction of another coin into the opening a.

The vertical arbor s carries at its upper end a pinion s, which engages with any suitable counting mechanism which causes a needle t to move over a visible dial on the exterior of the machine, so as to indicate to the person using the machine the duration of the three before-mentioned operations of cleaning, blacking, and polishing.

In order to produce a still better polish, I may add a fourth brush of the same form as that of the three preceding ones,but furnished with flannel, felt, or cloth. This supplementary brush can be fixed on the same arbor as that of 0 or can be fixed directly on the axle of the dynamo and outside the machine with a casing like that of the three brushes.

In my apparatus as shown I use an electric current derived from a dynamo or any electric main; but in localities where an electric current is not available I may replace the electric motor by any othersuitable motor or by a motor worked by hand, said motor be ing always in connection with the disengaging device described.

Ilaving now described the nature of this invention, I declare that what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A mechanical boot cleaner and polisher,

The wheel to al- 2. In a mechanical boot cleaner and polisher, the combination with a starting-handle having a recoil-spring, of a locking-bar, a detent adapted to arrest a falling coin, a

, pawl on the starting-handle engaging with said locking-bar when no coin lies on the detent; a spring-pressed locking-pin engaging with said locking-bar; and means connected by gear to the brush-axle by which-the coin is released from the detent and by which the spring locking-pin is disengaged from locking-bar of said starting-handle substantially as described.

3. In a mechanical boot cleaner and polisher, the combination with rotary brushes adapted as to shape to embrace the surface of a boot, of a motor operated by an external source of power, coin-freed mechanism to unlock and permit the operation of said motor, a wheel driven by said motor, a pin on said wheel, and mechanism adapted to be released bysaid pin for stopping the motor at the ex piration of a definite limit of time. I

4. Ina mechanical boot cleaner and polisher, the combination with a series of rotary brushes, each adapted to effect a separate operation in succession, of a motor for operating the same, a starting-handle for said motor, coin -freed releasing mechanism for said handle, a spring-pin for locking said handle when the motor is started, gearing connected with the brushes to eventually trip the locking-pin, and an indicator geared to said brushes to inform the user of the passing of successive intervals of time for the several operations of the brushes.

5. In a mechanical boot cleaner and polisher, the combination with a series of rotary brushes, of a motor for operating the same, a starting-handle for said motor, coin-freed mechanism for releasing said handle,a springpin for locking said handle, gearing connected with the motor for dropping the coin and tripping the locking-pin, a blacking-receptacle, and means for automatically mov in g said receptacle toward the brushes in periodicity with the coin-dropping devices.

6. In a mechanical boot cleaner and polisher, the combination with a series of rotary brushes, of a motor for operating the same, a starting-handle for said motor, a pivoted detent for arresting the coin, a pawl pivoted to the handle and adapted to be disengaged from its stop when moved against the edge of the arrested coin, a notched bar pivoted to the handle, a spring locking-pin engaging with one of said notches, a counter weighted tappet for disengaging said pin,and gearing connected with said brushes for tripping the detent and actuating said tappet.

7. In a mechanical boot cleaner and polisher, the combination with a series of rotary brushes, of a motor for operating the same, a startinghandle for said motor, a locking-pin for holding the handle, gearing driven intermittingly by the brush-shaft, and including a Wheel carrying pins, a blacking receptacle, means actuated by one of said .pins for reciprocating said receptacle, and

means operated by the other pin for releasing the handle-locking pin.

8. In a mechanical boot cleaner and pol isher the combination with the rotative brushaxle,of a vertical spindle, gearing for transmitting motion from one to the other, and a time-determining wheel operated by the V81? tical spindle and having pins thereon, a handledocking bar, a detent for said bar, and means operated by said pins to remove the coin from position of rest, and to remove the detent from the starting-handle-locking bar substantially as described. 

